LIVE BLOG: Varsity Football Match

We’re live from Craven Cottage for the Varsity Match, with kick off at 12:45.


FULL TIME SCORE FROM CRAVEN COTTAGE: Oxford 2-0 Cambridge. James Grimwood and Alex Thomas were your reporters.

14.47 So that’s it folks. Oxford win – ultimately they took their chances and we didn’t. Hopefully the weather doesn’t turn nasty for the Boat Races. Follow them HERE.

14.37 The Oxford players thank their fans.

14.36 Oxford edge ahead with 53 wins to Cambridge’s 52 after winning the 132nd Varsity Match.

FULL TIME: OXFORD 2-0 CAMBRIDGE

14.34 Dinneen receives the ball in midfield but runs out of play…

14.32 Cambridge’s captain is down as TWO MINUTES OF ADDITIONAL TIME are announced.

14.30 Feeney is off for Thelen as Oxford run the clock down. They’re dominant as we edge closer to the final whistle.

14.29 And Oxford’s Gomarsall is off for Dan Brown.

14.27 Keeper Warne gets a finger to another Oxford attempt and the corner is turned away at the near post. Dungay comes off for Rawson. Last throw of the dice…

14.25 Just over five minutes left now, and surely Oxford – who won on penalties last year – have it in the bag.

14.24 …and CAMBRIDGE THINK THEY HAVE SCORED, but Congdon fired wide.

14.23 Gilfoy fowls and Cambridge have a free kick in the corner…

14.21 Gaskell gets a talking to. Good tempo to this game now.

14.19 GOAL FOR OXFORD: 2-0. The ball comes to Dinneen after Cambridge loose possession. He takes his time before scoring from twenty five yards.

14.17 Cambridge hold possession for a bit and venture down the right with little to show for it.

14.16 Moneke heads wide for Dark Blue.

14.15 Cambridge lose the ball in the middle of the park, heading the ball in away. Corner. Twenty minutes to go.

14.13 The Oxford captain has a speculative shot as Burley comes on for Cambridge replacing Filippa.

14.11 DISALLOWED GOAL FOR CAMBRIDGE – Gaskell fouls his man and the free kick had already been given by Atkinson. Thoby unaware.

14.10 As the rain continues here, it’ll be wet and windy for the Women’s Boat Race in one hour. We can hear the BBC helicopter circuling over Putney Bridge from our position here.

14.07 The Cambridge fans singing of an alternative ‘Away in a manger’ is enough for Cambridge to charge through the middle. Thoby impressive in possession since coming on.

14.05 OXFORD HIT THE BAR Tozer improves on his previous effort. Oxford now on top…

14.04 Oxford sub off their best player, Burda, for Dinneen. Maybe he can’t play dirty now.

14.03 CLOSE FOR OXFORD: Tozer with a shot just the other side of the post.

14.01 Oxford’s right forward fowls again. Free kick.

13.57 The hail is now light rain. Herring – much better this half – is fowled on the near side. Oxford’s sixteen fowls badly, and our Wolf has a kick thirty yards out…

13.55 IT’S HAILING VERY MUCH! This hailstorm has been going on for two minutes. Somerville’s chance meanwhile is blocked. Down the other end, an awful cross from Congdon.

13.53 The Oxford captain was in through the middle but the chance was wasted. Somerville’s step overs are greeted by an intense hail shower, thunder and lightening.

13.51 Gaskell is down injured but is now back on his feet.

13.50 Burda is off again for Oxford down the right. Oxford fans are responding ‘What’s the score’ to Cantab jeering.

13.48 Play restarts.

13.47 Cambridge substitution: 8 Painter is off for 25 Thoby

13.45 The teams are coming back out…

13.43 The 132nd Varsity Football Match is being refereed Martin Atkinson as there is no Premier League football this weekend.

13.35 Oxford look good on account of their right wing, but apart from that Cambridge have had the better chances. Scrappy play earlier on was replaced by more passing: Cambridge just lack a little finesse.

13.32 So as the teams go in for their oranges, Cambridge appear to be very much on top and yet find themselves behind in the game.

13.31 HALF TIME: OXFORD 1-0 CAMBRIDGE

13.30 Oxford again get it down the right after a speculative ball, but the cross from the winger is dealt well by our defence.

13.29 Moneke plays his ‘get out of jail free’ card, losing the ball in midfield and then recovering well.

13.27 The Wolf delivers a free kick after a Martin Atkinson failed advantage is greeted by further rain.

13.26 AND AGAIN. Three shots from our right back who is selfish in possession. Hand ball appeal for Cambridge – we thought it was a penalty. Cambridge very much on top now.

13.24 ALL HELLS BREAKS LOOSE IN OXFORD PENALTY AREA as Grubic attacks. Numerous chances in a minute – Oxford struggle to clear their lines.

13.22 CAMBRIDGE CLOSE Gaskell nearly heads in from Grubic.

13.21 Cambridge squander a great set piece as the Oxford marker is flattened.

13.20 The Oxford right winger wins the ball convincingly with inches to spare, though the resulting cross doesn’t come to much. Neilsen and Grubic have swapped sides.

13.18 Gaskell gets it in the box for Cambridge. He turns, he shoots…over the bar.

13.17 Somerville handles the ball…but the ref doesn’t appear to notice. Burda’s corner – after a short ball-loss delay – is terrible.

13.15 The Cambridge Captain produces an excellent block preventing a second for Oxford. Freeley falls again.

13.14 CAMBRIDGE CLOSE Nice play by Neilsen and Gaskell is inches away from heading in.

13.13 Change of possession. Tozer boots his free kick forty yards but the winger was always left chasing.

13.11 Congdon thinks he has more room than he has, producing a throw, whilst Brown decides to slip and give away a free kick for hand ball.

13.10 Neilsen is momentarily Cesc Fabregas with a lovely through ball to Gaskell. Subsequent corner is wasted.

13.08 Following decent Cambridge defending Oxford’s first corner is lobbed beyond the far post.

13.07 Feeney is frustrated on the left. Tozer goes for a speculative shot which rises well above the bar from 35 yards.

13.05 OXFORD CLOSE Somerville charges in on goal straight from a goal kick but nobody is on the right post with him. Oxford definitely on top now.

13.04 Now, here’s Congdon with a ball down the right.

13.03 Oxford’s number sixteen is causing even more problems down the right. Oxford’s free kick is headed away well.

13.02 The Cambridge left back was nowhere, a ball across the box beats the defenders and the Oxford captain is there to slide in at the left post.

13.00 GOAL FOR OXFORD: Tsaptsinos

12.59 Good skill by Somerville produces a decent cross and the Captain gets his head on it.

12.57 Following nice skill by Brown, the ball is lost and Gaskell is in on goal…and the ball is cleared.

12.56 More air-play from both sides. With ten minutes gone, it must be said that Cambridge have had the only real chance. It appears the Oxford keeper doesn’t much like kicking the ball though.

12.54 Which produces another corner and Neilsen finds his shot blocked.

12.53 Concerted pressure by the light blues earns the first corner of the game…

12.52 PENALTY APPEAL The Wolf of Wolfson College lob the ball in from the right hand side. Gaskell goes down in the area as the Oxford keeper is nowhere.

12.50 Stoke City football early on here. Brown loops the ball in from the left, but Oxford fail to retain possession.

12.47 Oxford’s Feeney crossed in from the left as Cambridge play from left to right in this first half. The Oxford defence don’t look the tallest…

12.46 KICK OFF

12.45 Nielsen looks like he’ll be on the right wing with Grubic on the left.

12.44 We’re expecting 4-3-3 from Cambridge with Gaskell through the middle. If Cambridge score first, both teams will be tied at 206 goals each.

12.43 The teams are coming out now and they are greeted by a light drizzle.

12.40 Here they are:

12.35 With ten minutes to kick off, the squads are being announced…

12.34 In this fixture over time, Cambridge and Oxford are tied on 52 wins each.

12.32 The Cuppers champions Robinson only have one player in the Blues squad: the reserve keeper, John Harrison.

12.30 In the Women’s Varsity, Oxford beat Cambridge 1-0. Let’s hope for more goals this afternoon.

12.28 The Men’s Third XI – the Kestrels – beat the Coults on penalties and the Cambridge Eagles (Women’s Second XI) narrowly beat the Furies on penalties. Are we expecting penalties today?

12.25 Twenty minutes to go here and the hail storm has been replaced by sunshine – well, at least for now…